Medication Mistake Death Blamed On Nursing Home

When our loved one enters a nursing home we expect that they will receive the loving care they need to remain healthy. Sadly, that is not always the case. Neglect in nursing homes is quite common and medical mistakes in general are one of the most common causes of death. The family of a man who died in a nursing home has filed alawsuit against Holland Home in South Holland, IN, and others, for wrongful death. The family is represented by Levin & Perconti.

Medication Errors Are a Cause for Concern

Medication errors are one of the many types of medical mistakes that can happen in nursing homes and hospitals. Nursing homes are responsible for the administration of medications that have been prescribed to their residents. Every medication has specific instructions that must be followed in order to provide proper and accurate dosing and treatment. If a mistake is made it could cause a medical emergency. In this case, an error caused the man to overdose.

Overdose of Medication

Special care must be taken by care providers when monitoring and administering medication to patients. The man in this instance was given an overdose of narcotic pain medication that caused his death. Not only was an overdose administered, but the man was not even prescribed these pain medications in the first place. The mistakes made proved to be so severe that the resident died as a result.

Prevention of Mistakes in Nursing Homes

There may be various reasons for mistakes that are made in nursing homes. Nursing homes may be understaffed or the staff members may not be properly trained. When there are not enough staff members to provide adequate care, residents could suffer. While most mistakes are not critical, they can be, as proven in this case. Caregivers must be aware of the medications that each patient is taking and need to administer them according to the prescription directions.

Medication Mix-Ups

Most residents in nursing homes are under the care of a physician and are likely to be taking one or more prescription medications. These medications must be kept under adequate supervision and need to be labeled for each patient. Providers must be trained to inspect medications each and every time they are administered to ensure that they are giving the correct prescription to the proper patient. In this instance, somehow the wrong medication was administered and the dosage was too much.

Nursing Home Neglect

When a medication mistake occurs in a nursing home it is considered nursing home neglect and, in this instance, wrongful death. The resident would not have been injured or died if the staff would have provided the correct medication in the proper dosage. Although nothing can be done to change the situation, the family is entitled to compensation from the responsible parties. Damages may include such things as medical costs, money for pain and suffering, and compensation for funeral costs, to name a few.

If your relative was the victim of nursing home neglect, call the skilled legal team atLevin & Perconti to talk about your case.

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The purpose of this blog is to deliver news and information that is relevant to our areas of practice. The news and information reported on this blog represent the legal actions of attorneys throughout the United States. Our firm does not claim to represent plaintiffs in all of the lawsuits, settlements, and jury verdicts reported, only those noted as Levin & Perconti cases.